Fire screen assembly

ABSTRACT

A first bracket at one side of a fire screen assembly has a depending arcuate guide, as viewed in cross section, with its outer surface being convex and engaging an intermediate portion of a flexible pull member passing therearound. A second bracket at the other side of the screen assembly carries inner and outer spaced apart arcuate guides, as viewed in vertical cross section, with the upper surface of each being convex and engaging an end portion of the pull member with one end portion extending over the inner guide and then between the spaced guides and the other end portion extending over and then downwardly alongside the outer guide. The second bracket is connected to the adjacent end portion of a support rod which extends alongside the spaced apart guides and limits lateral movement of the end portions of the pull member.

United States Patent [19] Dew [ 1 June 25, 1974 [73] Assignee: Stratton& Terstegge Co., Inc., New

Albany. Ind.

22 Filed: Oct. 18, 1973 21 Appl. Non 107,609

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 126/202, 160/126, 160/D1G. 9 [51] Int. CL. F24c 15/36 [58]Field of Search 126/138, 140, 202;

160/123, 124, 125, 126, 332, DIG. 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,150,367 3/1939 Eiselel60/D1G. 9

2,185,305 l/l940 Marchand 1 1 160/126 2,441,591 6/1960 Meyer 160/126 X2,601,489 6/1952 Babros et al..... 160/D1G. 9 3,038,537 6/1962 Brunig160/332 3,077,923 2/1963 Hatcher 160/202 X 3,145,765 8/1964 Sponberg eta1 126/202 X Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner--PeterD. Ferguson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jennings, Carter & Thompson [57]ABSTRACT A first bracket at one side of a fire screen assembly has adepending arcuate guide, as viewed in cross section, with its outersurface being convex and engaging an intermediate portion of a flexiblepull member passing therearound. A second bracket at the other side ofthe screen assembly carries inner and outer spaced apart arcuate guides,as viewed in vertical cross section, with the upper surface of eachbeing 1 convex and engaging an end portion of the pull member with oneend portion extending over the inner guide and then between the spacedguides and the other end portion extending over and then downwardlyalongside the outer guide. The second bracket is connected to theadjacent end portion of a support rod which extends alongside the spacedapart guides and limits lateral movement of the end portions of the pullmember.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIED m2 5 m4 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIRE SCREENASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION rods whereby they are movableselectively to an open 0 position and a closed position by an elongatedflexible pull member connected to the curtains and having a handle ateach end thereof.

Heretofore in the art to which my invention relates, the pull mechanismfor fire curtains or screens has presented many problems. Not only is itdifficult to mount the mechanism on the supporting frame for the firescreens but most assemblies heretofore employed have been equipped withpulleys for guiding the flexible pull members. Due to the high heat andhumidity conditions, oxidation deposits are formed on the moving partswithin a relative short time thus causing excess friction, which in duetime makes the screen pull assembly inoperative. That is to say, theapparatus is not self cleaning since the build-up of oxidation depositsis not removed from the rotating parts during nonnal operation.

While non-movable guide assemblies have been proposed, such as disclosedin the Hatcher Pat. No. 3,077,923, these stationary guide members areclosed except for the ends for inserting and removing the flexible pullmembers. Accordingly, moisture collects in such closed passagewayswhereby oxidation deposits build up and prevent satisfactory operationof the apparatus.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with my present invention,I provide a fire screen assembly wherein the support rods for the firecurtains are supported by brackets at each side of the screen assemblywith the brackets also connecting the vertical, side frame members ofthe screen assembly to a common horizontal frame member, thuseliminating the necessity of having to provide complicated mechanism forsupporting the rods and the pull member. The support bracket at one sideof the assembly has a depending guide which is arcuate as viewed inhorizontal cross section with the outermost surface thereof being convexand engaging an intermediate portion of the pull member which passesaround the depending guide. The support bracket at the other side of theassembly carries inner and outer, spaced apart guides which are arcuateas viewed in vertical cross section with the upper surface of each beingconvex and engaging and supporting an end portion of the pull memberwith one end portion of the pull member extending over the inner guideand then downwardly between the spaced apart guides and the other endportion of the pull member extending over and then downwardly alongsidethe other guide. An end portion of a rod extends alongside the spacedapart guides in position to limit lateral movement of the end portionsof the flexible pull member whereby the support bracket not onlysupports the elongated rod but also provides means for limiting lateralmovement of the ends of the pull member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Apparatus embodying features of my inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisapplication, in which: i

FIG. I is a front elevational view showing the fire screen assemblymounted within a fire place;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, sectional view, partly broken away, takengenerally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view taken generally along the line 44of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view, partly broken away, taken generally alongthe line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view looking from the back side of the mechanismshown in FIG. 1 and showing the upper part of the fire screen assembly,parts being broken away and in section for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view taken generally along the line 88 of FIG. 6, partsbeing omitted for the sake of clarity; and,

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of myinvention, I show a screen assembly 10 mounted in a fire place 11. Thescreen assembly 10 comprises vertical side frame members l2and an upper,horizontal frame member I3. The fire screen is provided with the usual,flexible link-type fire curtains or screens 14 and 16 which aresupported at their upper edges for movement along elongated support rods17 and 18, as shown in FIG. 6. The fire curtains l4 and 16 are securedto the rods 17 and 18 by suitable ring-like elements I9 whereby thecurtains l4 and 16 are movable selectively to a closed position, asshown in FIG. 1, and an open position whereby the fire curtains aremoved toward the sides of the fire place away from each other. Anelongated flexible pull member 21 is operatively connected to the firecurtains I4 and 16 for moving the same selectively to the open andclosed positions. Suitable handles 22 are provided at the ends of thepull member 21, as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the vertical side frame member 12 is connected tothe upper horizontal frame member 13 by a support bracket 23 having anopening 24 in the top thereof for receiving a retaining element 26 whichpasses through a suitable opening in the horizontal frame member 13 tothus attach the bracket 23 to the frame member 13. As shown in FIGS. 3,3 and 6, a downwardly opening slot 27 is provided in the vertical leg ofthe bracket 23 for receiving a suitable retaining element 28 whichattaches the bracket 23 to the vertical side frame 12 adjacent thereto.

The support bracket 23 is provided with a depending guide 29 which isarcuate, as viewed in horizontal cross section, as shown in FIG. 9. Theoutermost surface of the depending guide 29 is convex and in position toengage an intermediate portion of the flexible pull member 21 passingaround the depending guide, as shown in FIG. 9. The depending guide 23is provided with an opening 31 therethrough for receiving the adjacentend portion of the adjacent support rod 17 subjacent the flexible pullmember 21 so that the pull member slidably engages the end portion ofthe support rod 17 and 3 is supported thereby, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 6and 9.

A second support bracket 32 is provided at the opposite side of thescreen assembly from the support bracket 23 and connects the adjacentend of the horizontal frame member 13 to the upper end of the adjacentvertical, side frame member 12. The bracket 32 is provided with avertical end member 33 and an upper horizontal portion 34 which areformed integrally with an elongated extension 36. As shown in FIGS. 4, 6and 8, the elongated extension 36 extends parallel to the adjacentsupport rod 18 and is spaced therefrom. A suitable opening 37 isprovided in the horizontal portiort 34 of the bracket 32 for receiving aretaining element 38 which passes through a suitable opening in thehorizontal frame member 13 to secure the bracket 32 to the frame member13. A downwardly opening slot 39 is provided in the vertical member 33of the bracket 32 for receiving a retaining element 41 which connectsthe bracket 32 to the adjacent vertical frame member 12, as shown inFIG. 6.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, inner and outer, spaced apart guides 42 and43, respectively, are formed integrally with the elongated extension 36on the support bracket 32. The spaced apart guides 42 and 43 projectlaterally from the elongated extension 36 and extend toward the adjacentsupport rod I8. Suitable recesses 44 and 46 are provided in the guides42 and 43, respectively, for receiving the support rod 18. As shown inFIGS. 6 and 8, the guides 42 and 43 are arcuate, as viewed in verticalcross section with the uppermost surface of each being convex and inposition to engage and support an end portion of the flexible pullmember 21 with one end portion 47 passing over the convex upper surfaceof the inner guide 42 and then downwardly between the guides 42 and 43,as shown in FIG. 6. The other end portion 48 of the flexible pull member21 extends beyond the guide 42 and then passes over and around theconvex upper surface of the guide 43 and then passes downwardlyalongside the guide member 43, as shown in FIG. 6. The handles 22 areattached to the lower ends of the end portions 47 and 48 of the pullmember 21 whereby upon pulling the handle 22 for the end portion 47, thefire curtains are moved away from each other or toward open position. Onthe other hand, upon pulling the handle 22 for the end portion 48, thefire curtains I4 and 16 are moved toward each other to the closedposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

Secured to the under surface of the horizontal frame member 13 by asuitable retaining element 49 is a bracket 51 having depending legs 52and 53 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The depending legs 52 and 53 areprovided with openings 54 and 56 therethrough, respectivcly, forreceiving the inner ends of the support rods 17 and I8 with the supportrods overlapping each other adjacent the center of the screen assembly,as shown in FIG. 6. The bracket legs 52 and 53 are also provided withopenings 57 and 58 therethrough above the openings 54 and 56 forreceiving the flexible pull member 21.

Starting with the end portion 47 of the flexible pull member 21, thepull member extends upwardly between the guides 42 and 43 and passesaround the convex upper surface of the guide 42 whereupon the pullmember then extends through the opening 58 in the depending bracket legs53. From the opening 58, the pull member extends around the convex outersurface of the depending guide 29 and then passes through the opening 57in the depending leg 52 and in turn passes over the upper convex surfaceof the guide 43 as described above. The portion of the flexible pullmember 21 defining the end portion 47 is connected to the fire curtain16 as at 59 while the portion thereof defining the end portion 48 isconnected to the fire curtain 14 as at 61. Accordingly, as the endportion 47 is pulled downwardly, the end portion 48 moves upwardlywhereby the fire curtain 14 moves to the right and the fire curtain 16moves to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6, whereby the curtains are movedto open position. On the other hand, upon pulling downwardly on the endportion 48, the curtain 14 is moved toward the left and the curtain I6is moved toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 6, to thus close thecurtains. As shown in FIG. 7, the inner ends of the support rods 17 and18 are spaced laterally from each other to provide ample room formovement of the fire curtains.

Formed integrally with the elongated extension 36 and projectinglaterally therefrom is a stop member 62 which extends laterally over theadjacent support rod 18 and then downwardly alongside the support rod18, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in position to engage the support rod andlimit lateral movement thereof away from the elongated extension 36. Asecond stop member 63 is formed integrally with the inner portion of theguide 42, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and projects laterally and thenupwardly therefrom alongside the support rod 18 to further limit lateralmovement of the support rod 18 away from the elongated extension 36.Accordingly, the support rod 18 is held in spaced relation to theelongated extension 36 and alongside the guides 42 and 43, as shown inFIG. 8, to define passageways between the support rod 18 and theelongated extension 36 for passing the end portions 47 and 48 of theflexible pull member 21.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved firescreen assembly and mechanisms for moving the fire curtain selectivelyto opened and closed positions. By providing support brackets whichcarry the support rods for the fire curtains and also provide means forconnecting the horizontal and vertical frame members to each other, Igreatly facilitate the construction and assembly of the fire screenassembly. This is especially true in view of the fact that the assemblyis particularly adapted for shipment and storage in knock-down conditionwhereby the screen assembly may be assembled at the point of use. Also,by eliminating moving parts, such as pulleys and the like, as well aslong, closed passageways for receiving the pull elements, my improvedapparatus is self-cleaning whereby there is no build-up of oxidationdeposits on any moving parts for the screen assembly. That is, the onlymovingelement of the assembly is the flexible pull member, which isusually in the form of a chain. Since the pull member slides freely overthe convex surfaces carried by the support brackets, the chaincontinuously removes any oxidation deposits as the chain moves relativeto the convex surfaces. The exposed, convex surfaces of the guidemembers are thus maintained in a clean and dry condition due to the factthat there is free circulation of air around these parts. Furthermore,by providing the elongated support rod 18 alongside the arcuate guides42 and 43, the support rod not only supports the fire curtain but alsodefines with the elongated extension 36 the passageway therebetween forreceiving the pull end portions 47 and 48 of the flexible,

pull member, thus further reducing the overall cost of the apparatus.Furthermore, by forming my improved support brackets as integral units,such as by die casting, the support brackets are particularly adaptedfor mass production whereby the support brackets not only formstructural members for connecting the vertical and horizontal framemembers to each other but also define the support for the adjacent endsof the rods which support the fire curtains. The brackets also supportthe guide means for the flexible pull member.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is-susceptibleof various other changes and modifications without departing from thespirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a fire screen assembly having a pair of fire curtains supported attheir upper edges for movement along elongated support rods and movableselectively to an open position and a closed position by an elon gatedflexible pull member connected to said curtains and having a handle ateach end thereof:

a. a first support bracket adjacent one side of said screen assemblyhaving a depending guide which is arcuate as viewed in horizontal crosssection with the outermost surface of said guide being convex and inposition to engage an intermediate portion of said flexible pull memberpassing around said depending guide,

b. means connecting said depending guide to the adjacent end portion ofan adjacent support rod subjacent said flexible pull member with saidflexible pull member slidably engaging said end portion of an adjacentsupport rod and being supported thereby,

c. a second support bracket adjacent the other side of said screenassembly carrying inner and outer spaced apart guides which are arcuateas viewed in vertical cross section with the uppermost surface of eachbeing convex and in position to engage and support an end portion ofsaid flexible pull member with one said end portion extending over saidinner guide and then downwardly between said spaced apart guides and theother said end portion extending over and then downwardly alongside saidouter port rod extending alongside said spaced apart guides and limitinglateral movement of said end portions of said flexible pull member.

2. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said dependingguide isprovided with an opening therethrough for receiving the endportion of an adjacent support rod with said end portion of an adjacentsupport rod being supported by said depending guide.

3. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said first andsecond support brackets are each secured to the upper portion of avertical side frame member for said screen assembly and to an adjacentend portion of an upper horizontal frame member for said screen assemblyso that said first and second support brackets also connect saidlvertical side frame members to said upper horizontal frame member.

4. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said inner andouter spaced apart guides are carried by and project laterally from anelongated extension on said second support bracket with said elongatedextension extending generally parallel to and spaced from the adjacentsupport rod so that said end portions of said flexible pull member passdownwardly between said elongated extension and the adjacent supportrod.

5. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said spacedapart guides are each provided with a recess therein in laterally spacedrelation to said elongated extension for receiving and supporting theend portion of an adjacent support rod.

6. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 5 in which at least onestop member is carried by said second support bracket in position toengage the adjacent support rod and limit lateral movement thereof awayfrom said elongated extension.

7. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 6 in which said stopmember extends laterally over said adjacent support rod and thendownwardly alongside said adjacent support rod.

8. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 7 in which a second stopmember is formed integrally with oneof said spaced apart guides andextends upwardly alongside said adjacent support rod at the side thereofaway from said elongated extension.

9. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the inner endsof said support rods are supported in laterally spaced relation to eachother.

lt l

1. In a fire screen assembly having a pair of fire curtains supported attheir upper edges for movement along elongated support rods and movableselectively to an open position and a closed position by an elongatedflexible pull member connected to said curTains and having a handle ateach end thereof: a. a first support bracket adjacent one side of saidscreen assembly having a depending guide which is arcuate as viewed inhorizontal cross section with the outermost surface of said guide beingconvex and in position to engage an intermediate portion of saidflexible pull member passing around said depending guide, b. meansconnecting said depending guide to the adjacent end portion of anadjacent support rod subjacent said flexible pull member with saidflexible pull member slidably engaging said end portion of an adjacentsupport rod and being supported thereby, c. a second support bracketadjacent the other side of said screen assembly carrying inner and outerspaced apart guides which are arcuate as viewed in vertical crosssection with the uppermost surface of each being convex and in positionto engage and support an end portion of said flexible pull member withone said end portion extending over said inner guide and then downwardlybetween said spaced apart guides and the other said end portionextending over and then downwardly alongside said outer guide, and d.means connecting said second support bracket to the adjacent end portionof an adjacent support rod with the adjacent end portion of the adjacentsupport rod extending alongside said spaced apart guides and limitinglateral movement of said end portions of said flexible pull member.
 2. Afire screen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said depending guideis provided with an opening therethrough for receiving the end portionof an adjacent support rod with said end portion of an adjacent supportrod being supported by said depending guide.
 3. A fire screen assemblyas defined in claim 1 in which said first and second support bracketsare each secured to the upper portion of a vertical side frame memberfor said screen assembly and to an adjacent end portion of an upperhorizontal frame member for said screen assembly so that said first andsecond support brackets also connect said vertical side frame members tosaid upper horizontal frame member.
 4. A fire screen assembly as definedin claim 1 in which said inner and outer spaced apart guides are carriedby and project laterally from an elongated extension on said secondsupport bracket with said elongated extension extending generallyparallel to and spaced from the adjacent support rod so that said endportions of said flexible pull member pass downwardly between saidelongated extension and the adjacent support rod.
 5. A fire screenassembly as defined in claim 4 in which said spaced apart guides areeach provided with a recess therein in laterally spaced relation to saidelongated extension for receiving and supporting the end portion of anadjacent support rod.
 6. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim 5 inwhich at least one stop member is carried by said second support bracketin position to engage the adjacent support rod and limit lateralmovement thereof away from said elongated extension.
 7. A fire screenassembly as defined in claim 6 in which said stop member extendslaterally over said adjacent support rod and then downwardly alongsidesaid adjacent support rod.
 8. A fire screen assembly as defined in claim7 in which a second stop member is formed integrally with one of saidspaced apart guides and extends upwardly alongside said adjacent supportrod at the side thereof away from said elongated extension.
 9. A firescreen assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the inner ends of saidsupport rods are supported in laterally spaced relation to each other.